Wall or switch box.



F. S. BIRTWHISTLE.

, APPLIUATI'ON FILED APR. 27, 1909.

Patented July 26, 19m.

@Ywanfov Winn/sow rnnnnnrc'xs;Bm'rwHIs'rLE, or TROY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

-WALL on 'swI'rcH' BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 26, 1910.

Application filed April 27, 1909. Serial No. 492,583.

To all it may-concem:

Be it known that- 1, FREDERICK S. BIRT- wmsTLn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Troy, c'ounty of Cheshire, and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Wall or -Switch Boxes, of WlllCll the following is a specification.

My' invention relates to wall or switch boxes.

' The ordinary wall or switch box is installed before the lathing or plaster is put on-and is set sufficiently far out (a matter of .guess work) as will compensate for the thickness of the lath and plaster so that when the wires are connected up to the switch and the face plate is put in position, the face plate will be flush with the outer face of the wall. As a matter of fact,

it very frequently happens that these boxes areset too far out or too far back or their mouths arenot positioned just parallel to the wall and thus tedious adjust-mg of the box becomes necessary when the electrician places the switch and face plate, such extra work resulting in decrease of the profit of the installation which is very considerable if the job be a large one.

. The present invention has. for its object the provision of a Wall or switch box attachment which canbe applied to the ordinary box, or may be manufactured in connection therewith at the outset, possessing novel features whereby the box may be ad usted with facility in or out or sidewise or corner'wise to any desired extent and exactly positioned so that when the switch and face plate are placed, the parts will be in the desired po-- sition. I

.The invention is carried out by the provision of certain novel features and constructions, as well as combinations of parts, which are .set forth fully hereinafter and recited in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure l is a. perspectiveof a switch or wall box provided with my invention; Fig. 2, a lan View; Fig. 3, a section on line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a detail of the guide and clamp; and Fig. 5, a detail of the adjustable lug. A wall orswitch box is shown at 1 as having the usual knock-outs 2 and mouth 3 which faces outwardly when the box is in position so that it wlll receive the switch.

For the connection of the switch there are provided the lugs 4. As previously set forth, this form of box is set in position beclamp having a screw-threaded aperture 8,-

which receives a screw 9 whose shank lies in an arc-shaped slot 10 in the box 1. There is provided a lug 11 having an aperture 12 and a loop 13 which embraces the aide and clamp 7 and enables the lug to he slid lengthwise to any desired posltion where it is clamped by tightening the screw 9, which thereupon draws the guide and clamp 7 toward the box and binds the loop 13 against the box. It will also be seen that the end 6 is pivoted in the hole 5 and hence, the entire guide and clamp can be swung laterally as may be desired. The screws; 9 are at the mouth of the box so that they can be, conveniently tightened or ordinar screw-driver.

loosened by an e5;

The ox 1S originally installed with the wires led thereinto through such of the knock-outs 2 as have been used, the screws to fasten the box to the studding or other wood work bein passed through the opening 12. When 1: e electrician who connects up the switches reaches the box after-the lath and plaster have been app ied to't-he, wall, he -may find that the mouth of the box is either out or in too far. All thatis necessary tobring about the desired position of the box is to loosen the screws 9 and adjust the box laterall or longitudinally as may be desired to br ng its mouth flush with the surface of the wall. The screws are then tightened and the installation completed.

The present invention is adapted for use on any kind of a box for electrical c'on-nec tions or mechanisms and is just aswell adapted, with any desired modifications-,- to

junction, outlet, and other boxes as for. use

on switch andv wall boxes. Where the box is not-intended to contain a. switch or other piece of mechanism, the .lugs 4- wouldnot be used. The invention is susceptible of various modifications to adapt it to different uses on boxes of the character setforth and I do uoU'limit myself to the use of the invention on anyparticular kind of box nor to th specific construction set forth.

Having thus described my invention, what I clann as new and desire to secure by Letters clamps and guides, parts of which are disposed between the clamps and the bx,-and means for clamping the guides and lugs to the box.

3. A wall or switch box having attaching lugs which are adjustable both lengthwise and crosswise of the box and means located adjacent the mouth of the box adapted for effecting such adjustments.

4, A wall or switch box having pivoted attaching lugs, and means adjustable from the intei'lor of the box for securing said lugs where adjusted.

'A wall or having flexible combined clamps and guides, lugs adjustable on said clamps and guides, and means for tensioning the combined clamps and guides to clamp the lugs in adiusted position against the box.

6. A wall or switch box having flexible combined clamps and guides, lugs adjustable clamping the guidesin different positions and thereby clamping the lugs against the In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK S. ,BIRTWHISTLE. Witnesses:

JOHN E. ALLEN, 1 PHILIP H. FAULKNEB.

guides and clamp the lugs against the 

